The parking lot at the northwest corner of Olive Street and Boonville Avenue. Historical records show this is likely where Milly Sawyers was the night of April 1, 1836, when she was attacked by a mob. Nathan Papes/News-Leader

Archivist Connie Yen looks through documents while at the Greene County Archives that tell the story of Springfield's founder inciting a riot that led to the beating of a free black woman in 1836. Andrew Jansen/News-Leader

John Polk Campbell and his brother Junius T. Campbell are listed as the two first postmasters of Springfield on a marker near the intersection of South Jefferson Avenue and East Walnut Street. The marker, erected by the University Club, is close to where the first post office of Springfield was located. Nathan Papes/News-Leader

John Polk Campbell and his brother Junius T. Campbell are listed as the two first postmasters of Springfield on a marker near the intersection of South Jefferson Avenue and East Walnut Street. The marker, erected by the University Club, is close to where the first post office of Springfield was located. Nathan Papes/News-Leader

Like almost any other place around the country, Springfield struggles with the right way to come to terms with a violent, racist past. We seek to acknowledge it, but not be defined by it. We aim to honor those who were slain without recalling the pain it created for the community.

This struggle has historically been clearest through the lens of three black men who were lynched on the square in 1906, 70 years after Sawyers’ story. There is a plaque on the square honoring Horace Duncan, Fred Coker and Will Allen. They are otherwise mostly forgotten. There have been discussions over the years of ways to establish a ceremony or monument that expands on the plaque’s attempt to mark that point in history, but it’s been difficult to reach a consensus for the reasons outlined above.

The story of Sawyers creates an even starker image of what parts of history we recall. Names like Campbell, Rountree and Ingram, remembered for their roles in establishing the city, adorn street signs and school buildings. Few knew of their brutality, and that’s why almost no one knew the name Milly Sawyers until Wednesday.

We can change that for future Springfieldians.

Her name, and her story, can now be part of the oral history and education of Springfield. We can also go further.

She too should have her name honored in the traditional way — by naming a building after her. There’s one option that seems particularly appropriate.

While no final decision has been made, Springfield Public Schools leaders have discussed plans to turn Campbell Elementary School into an early childhood center. While we acknowledge there are families fighting to keep that school in its current form and likewise probably wouldn’t want to see a name change, we could doubly honor Sawyers by swapping out the name of one of her attackers with her own.

The Milly Sawyers Early Childhood Center would be an excellent way to honor a woman worth remembering.

We don’t want to put all this responsibility on the school district. There may be opportunities for other entities like the city of Springfield, the Parks Department or others to honor Sawyers.

Also, we don’t have to scrub those other names from our buildings or history. Beyond the logistical issues, those names still hold a lot of meaning.

A building named for Sawyers doesn’t have to exist in a rewritten history that forgets Campbell, Rountree and Ingram. It should exist alongside them.

It’s a fitting way to remember a woman who strived for a better existence, not because those men conceded, but despite their attempts to stop her.